Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (2024)

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Posted by Aimee 4 comments
Published: Nov 13, 2020 Last Updated: Oct 16, 2023

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Tart granny smith apples laced with caramel and baked with a crunchy pecan topping. You’ll love this easy Apple Crisp loaded with fall spices and brown sugar!

Tis the season for all apple desserts. We are in love with this easy Apple Crumble Recipe! Readers adore our delicious Apple Hand Pies. Which one do YOU love?

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (1)

Why this Recipe is Best

Folks, I’m not kidding when I say this Apple Crisp knocks every other apple crisp recipe off the charts. I know, I know. Crisps are such basic desserts.

But THIS apple crisp? It takes the delicious and comforting taste of classic apple crisp and makes it even better with the addition of buttery caramel, plenty of crunchy pecans!

If you love caramel apples, this is bound to become your new favorite apple dessert.

You can serve this on its own but I (of course) love it best with a giant scoop of Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream. Don’t forget the extra caramel drizzle on top!

Did I mention that this recipe is also super easy? Just mix the filling together, sprinkle on the topping, bake and dig in.

There is a time and place for Apple Pie and French Apple Pie, but if you’re looking for an easy, throw it in a baking dish type of dessert, this is for you.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (2)

Crisp vs. Crumble

Wondering what the difference is between a fruit crisp and a fruit crumble? You’re not alone.

The two terms are used interchangeably most of the time for any dessert that involves fruit baked with a crispy and crumbly topping. You work butter into flour with sugar and, sometimes spices.

Crisps, though, almost always involve oats to make them more crispy! In this variation on traditional Apple Crisp, I also added pecans for even more texture.

I love the combination of soft apples, swirled with caramel and finished with the crisp buttery pecans and oats. It’s impossible not to.

Ingredient Notes

  • Granny Smith Apples – This variety of apple is extra tart and crisp making it perfect for baking. You can sub another tart variety of apple, but Granny Smiths are by far my favorite.
  • Unsalted Butter – If needed, you can use salted butter in the topping, just omit the added salt.
  • Old Fashioned Rolled Oats- Instant oats will be too small and soft and steel cut oats would be too hard. Be sure to check the labels to make sure you’re using the correct oats!
  • Pecans – Walnuts works great as a substitute or you can leave the nuts out entirely.
  • Caramel – Caramel ice cream topping or jarred caramel sauce for both the filling and for drizzling on top.

Step by Step Instructions

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (3)

STEP 1. Apple filling

Add slices of apples to a large bowl and toss with the other filling ingredients to combine. Pour the apple mixture into a prepared casserole dish.

STEP 2. Topping

In another bowl, mix together all of the topping ingredients to combine. Sprinkle it over the apple mixture.

STEP 3. Bake

Bake the apple crisp uncovered for about 1 hour. When it’s ready, the apples will be soft, the juices bubbling and the edges of the crisp lightly browned.

Drizzle the crisp with extra caramel sauce and serve in bowls with a ice cream or fresh Whipped Cream.

Does it get any better than the taste of warm apple crisp with a spoonful of cold ice cream melting through the layers? If you think of anything else that’s quite so satisfying in the fall, let me know.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (4)

Recipe FAQs

Do I need to peel the apples first?

Up to you! I like the texture the apple skins add to the crisp. If you don’t enjoy that, feel free to peel them.

What kind of pan do I need for the crisp?

I make this crisp in a standard sized 2 qt casserole pan. You could also use a glass square baking dish.

Can other apples be used besides Granny Smiths?

I LOVE the tartness that Granny Smiths give the crisp, but sure, other apples will work too. I recommend apples that are juicy and at least a little tart, like Honeycrisps or Pink Ladies.

Can this be served at room temperature?

The flavors will be good but I much prefer it when it’s warm, especially alongside the cold ice cream.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (5)

More Fall Baking Recipes

  • Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
  • Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
  • Pumpkin Pie Recipe
  • Pumpkin Dump Cake
  • Apple Cobbler
  • Instant Pot Apple Crisp

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Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (10)

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Easy Apple Crisp Recipe

5 from 6 votes

By: Aimee

This apple crisp recipe is made with tart granny smith apples laced with caramel and topped with a crunch crisp topped loaded with pecans. It's sure to be a winning dish at all of your fall gatherings!

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 6 granny smith apples peeled, cored, and sliced
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons caramel sauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon apple pie spice
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Topping:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar packed
  • ½ cup chopped pecans
  • ½ cup old fashioned oats
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Serve with:

  • Caramel drizzle
  • Vanilla ice cream

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8 or small casserole dish with nonstick spray and set aside.

  • Add the evenly sliced apples (about ¼-inch thick), sugars, flour, caramel sauce, vanilla, apple pie spice, and salt to a large bowl and toss to combine.

  • Transfer the apple mixture to the greased baking dish.

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the topping ingredients until completely combined and sprinkle over the top of the apple mixture.

  • Bake for 1 hour until the top is golden brown, the apples are tender, and the juices are bubbling around the edges of the pan.

  • Drizzle with caramel sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Notes

  • Other kinds of apples can be used but I love the tartness of granny smith with the caramel sauce.
  • Salted butter may be used in the topping, just omit the salt in the mixture.
  • Quick oats will be too soft for this recipe and steel-cut oats are too hard.
  • Walnuts could be used instead of pecans or the nuts can be omitted if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 440kcal, Carbohydrates: 66g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Cholesterol: 38mg, Sodium: 206mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 48g

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe?Mention @shugarysweets or tag #shugarysweets!

The best Apple Crisp recipe is also the easiest! Fill your kitchen with the intoxicating aroma of baking apples and spices, then sit back and dig into a bowl of warm, fresh Apple Crisp.

Easy Apple Crisp Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the best apples for an apple crisp? ›

What Makes A Good Apple For Apple Crisp? The best apples for baking keep their structure under heat, which prevents the chunks of fruit from turning into mush after baking. The firm and crisp Granny Smith and Honeycrisp varieties are popular apples to use in apple pies and apple crisps.

Why didn't my apple crisp get crispy? ›

How can I make my apple crisp crispy? If your butter to flour to sugar ratio is off, it will result in a less crispy topping. You want to be careful not to add too much flour or too little. Also, we love adding old fashioned rolled oats to our crumble because it really gives it a nice crunch.

What's the difference between apple crumble and apple crisp? ›

Like an apple crisp, an apple crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. But unlike the crisp, the crumble topping rarely includes oats or nuts. Instead, a crumble's topping is more like streusel, made with flour, sugar and butter.

How do you make apple crisp not watery? ›

Adding cornstarch and flour to the apple mixture will help bring your crisp's filling together. You want to make sure you have a nice balance of the sweet and tart in your dessert. Taste your apples for sweetness before adding sugar to your filling.

How many apples is 3 cups? ›

1 pound of apples will make about 3 cups sliced or cubed. 4 tennis ball-sized apples weigh about a pound.

How many apples is 4 cups? ›

If a recipe calls for one cup of peeled and chopped apples, for example, the size of your dice and fineness of your cuts will affect how you convert from pounds. Generally speaking, one pound of roughly chopped apples yields four cups.

Should I cover my apple crisp while baking? ›

Baking: Start baking the apple crisp covered with foil. This allows the apples to soften without any risk of the topping over-browning. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the crisp finish cooking uncovered. Once the juices are bubbling, the topping is golden brown, and the apples are tender, it is done!

Should you refrigerate apple crisp before baking? ›

You can prepare the crisp through step 3, then cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day before baking. You can also freeze the unbaked crisp for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4. Bake time will be a little longer since the crisp will be cold.

Why is it called Brown Betty? ›

In the Original Picayune Creole Cook Book (1901) a recipe identical to the Brown Betty traveled under the name “Mulatto's Pudding” furthering the idea that the sweet-sounding Brown Betty was more a race-based epithet towards its maker than a homey moniker denoting golden-brown bread crumbs.

How do you know when an apple crisp is done? ›

Bake the apple crisp until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes. Serve the crisps warm with vanilla bean ice cream or fresh whipped cream, if desired.

Is Apple Brown Betty the same as apple crisp? ›

Both are very similar apple desserts, but the difference mainly comes down to the crumble topping: Instead of the flour and oat mixture used in an apple crisp, an apple brown betty uses breadcrumbs for its crumbly, delicious topping.

Why did my apple crisp turn to mush? ›

Use Overripe Fruit

Even if you choose the perfect apple variety, if the fruit is overripe, your apple pie filling will turn to mush. The perfect apple pie filling is not too sweet.

Why is there lemon juice in apple crisp? ›

I prefer slicing the apples the day I plan to bake the crisp as they start to oxidize once they're sliced and turn brown in color. Add a little extra fresh lemon juice to help prevent the apples from turning super brown.

What are the three best apples for apple pie? ›

The best apples for making apple pie
  • Braeburn. This apple is a descendant of Granny Smith, but slightly sweeter. ...
  • Cortland. ...
  • Crispin (Mutsu). ...
  • Golden Delicious. ...
  • Granny Smith. ...
  • Honeycrisp. ...
  • Jonagold or Jonathan. ...
  • Northern Spy.
Oct 8, 2021

Are Gala apples good for baking apple crisp? ›

Gala apples are my favorite variety for this recipe – I like their sweet/tart flavor and firm texture. But if you have a favorite baking apple, feel free to use it here. Granny smith apples, Honeycrisps, Jonagolds, or a mix would all be excellent.

Which apples are Crispier Fuji or Gala? ›

Texture & Use in Recipes: In terms of texture, Fuji apples are also a lot crisper, and less dense than Gala apples. So, they result in a firm bite with juicy flesh while Galas are softer and creamier. Their texture also means that Fujis are better for baking as they hold their shape better than Galas when cooked!

Are Honeycrisp apples good for baking? ›

Honeycrisp. One of the sweetest apples around, this Midwestern favorite is good for anything—including baking. It boasts a distinctive juicy crispness and is firm enough that it won't cook down much. It complements just about any other apple variety to make a stellar pie.

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